Willoughby, New South Wales
| area = 3.22 | stategov = Willoughby | fedgov = North Sydney | near-nw = Chatswood | near-n = North Willoughby | near-ne = Middle Cove | near-w = Chatswood | near-e = Castlecrag | near-sw = Artarmon | near-s = Naremburn | near-se = Northbridge | dist1 = 8 | dir1 = north | location1= Sydney CBD }} Willoughby is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia 8 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Willoughby. The City of Willoughby takes its name from the suburb but its administrative centre is located in the adjacent suburb of Chatswood, which is the local area's major commercial centre. History There is some conjecture as to how Willoughby was named. Some historians believe it was named after a parish, while others believe that Surveyor-General Sir Thomas Mitchell decided to commemorate Sir James Willoughby Gordon whom he had served during the Peninsular War and was the quartermaster-general in England when the First Fleet sailed to Botany Bay. Captain Arthur Phillip's search for "good land, well watered" led to the discovery and colonisation of the rough shores of Roseville Chase, where Samuel Bates built a farm at Echo Point.The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollon, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia ISBN 0-207-14495-8, page 271 Later developments included the building of the first post office in 1871 and the construction of Pommy Lodge in the same year. The latter—a small sandstone building in Penshurst Street—was originally the Congregational Church, which later changed premises. Laurel Bank Cottage, a single-storey home, was constructed in Penshurst Street in 1884. The cottage is now owned and run by the local Masonic Lodge as a function and conference facility. Circa 1920, Telford Lane—between Fourth Avenue and Eastern Valley Way—was created and paved; the method used was the one pioneered by Thomas Telford in England in the nineteenth century. This lane is one of the few surviving examples of the Telford method in Sydney. In 1934, the Willoughby incinerator was built in Small Street, after a design by Walter Burley Griffin. It has been described as "a particularly successful example of an industrial building integrating function with site."The Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Company, 1981, p.2/122 Like Telford Lane, the incinerator is listed on the Register of the National Estate. Commercial area Willoughby has a number of small shops, restaurants and hotels and is also the News & Finance centre of the Nine Network television, under the callsign of TCN-9. Next to this site is the TXA TV tower which at 233 metres high is the tallest in Australia. There are several small groupings of shops, the majority of which are on Mowbray Road, Willoughby Road, Penshurst Street and High Street. Parks and recreation Bicentennial Reserve which includes Hallstrom Park, features a soccer field, T Ball & softball fields and a children's playground. Willoughby Leisure Centre features a 25m lap pool, spas, children's pool, swim school, gym, basketball courts, netball courts and baseball field. Flat Rock Gully, built on an old rubbish tip, is bushland with two walking tracks to Long Bay, following the creek line. * Carlson Park * Julian St Park * Willoughby Squash courts Transport While this suburb is not on one of Sydney's train lines, it is serviced by Sydney Buses, with a number of bus routes that cover the area. It is close to St Leonards, Artarmon and Chatswood railway stations. The Gore Hill Freeway, a route into the Sydney CBD, runs along the southern border of Willoughby, with entrance and exit at Willoughby Road. STA Bus Routes are 272 Penshurst St - Wynyard(city) via Freeway, 273 Chatswood CBD - Wynyard via North Sydney, 257 Chatswood CBD - Balmoral Beach via Neutral Bay and 267 Chatswood CBD - Crows Nest via Castlecrag and Northbridge. Schools * Willoughby Public School (K - Year 6) * Willoughby Girls High School (Year 7 - Year 12, girls only) * St Thomas' Catholic Primary School (K - Year 6, Catholic School) Other * Willoughby Fire Station, Laurel Street * 1st Willoughby Scouts, Laurel Street * Bridgeview Hotel, Willoughby Road * The Willoughby Hotel, Penshurst Street Churches * Armenian Evangelical Church * St Stephen's Anglican Church * St Thomas's Catholic Church * Willoughby Uniting Church * Willoughby Presbyterian Church Population Willoughby is known for a large Armenian community, who arrived in the area in the 1960s-1970s. More Armenian families made their home here once an Armenian Apostolic Church was built on Macquarie Street, Chatswood, close to the border with Willoughby. Willoughby contains several Armenian Churches and Community Centres (Cultural Clubs). It is home to the first Armenian Saturday School which still operates on Saturdays at Willoughby Girls High. Notable residents * John Davies, an Olympic swimmer who won gold for Australia in the 1952 Summer Olympics was from the suburb. * Matthew Reilly, best-selling author, * Evonne Goolagong Tennis legend, * Melissa Ippolito Actress. C. Overington, It's a door that she's gone through, and I can't follow, The Weekend Australian Magazine, 23 June 2012. Gallery Heritage Image:1LaurelBankCottage.JPG|Laurel Bank Cottage (1884) Image:1WilloughbyIncinerator.JPG|Incinerator designed by Walter Burley Griffin (1934) Image:1TelfordLane.JPG|Telford Lane (c.1920) Image:1PommyLodge.JPG|Pommy Lodge (1871) References External links *Willoughby, Willoughby City Council - community profile *North Willoughby/Willoughby East, Willoughby City Council - community profile *Willoughby City Council - Official Willoughby City Council website *Willoughby Girls High School - Official Willoughby Girls High School website *Willoughby Public School - Official Willoughby Public School website *1st Willoughby Scouts - 1st Willoughby Scouts Website *Willoughby District Historical Society Category:Suburbs of Sydney